An announcement is expected soon about when Shaun Evans' new crime drama will be shown on ITV.

It is now almost a year since the final episode of ITV's Inspector Morse prequel Endeavour.

Series nine ended in March last year and the last episode was screened on March 12, 2023, watched by millions of viewers.

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This brought an end to the franchise which started with the Oxford-based Inspector Morse series in the 1980s, based on the novels of Colin Dexter.

A new crime drama starring Shaun Evans is expected to be shown in the first half of this year on ITV. 

The actor will lead the cast of Until I Kill You alongside Line of Duty and Motherland star Anna Maxwell Martin.

Oxford Mail: Roger Allam and Shaun EvansThe series, which was in production under the working title Delia Balmer, will explore the story of Delia who survived a near-fatal relationship with murderer John Sweeney.

No transmission date has yet been revealed.

Janice Troup, head of ITV programme publicity, drama and soaps, said: "We'll have more news in the coming weeks as we don't confirm transmission dates this far in advance."

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The four-part series will air on ITV1 and ITX and sees Anna portray the title character and Shaun Evans play John Sweeney, who is currently serving a life sentence for murdering his former girlfriends.

Filming locations have included Swansea, outside its historic Guildhall.

Oxford Mail: Mr Evans said earlier: "I've previously worked with World Productions and ITV separately, so I'm looking forward to joining forces to tell this story. A story that is quite rightly told through the victim's lens, Delia.

"We have an excellent script from Nick Stevens and I couldn't be more delighted to work with Anna."

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Based on Delia Balmer’s book, Living with a Serial Killer, Until I Kill You is written by Nick Stevens (The Pembrokeshire Murders), and executive produced by multi-award winning World Productions CEO, Simon Heath (Save Me, Line of Duty, Anne).

Until I Kill You Delia Balmer narrates the ordeal Delia suffered at the hands of John Sweeney, and her traumatic journey through the police and criminal justice system as they attempt to prosecute him for his crimes. 

Oxford Mail: Shaun Evans in EndeavourColin Dexter wrote in his will that no other actor should play Inspector Morse after Shaun Evans.

Christopher Sullivan, the author of Endeavour: The Complete Series believes the most popular options for any Endeavour sequel would feature either a series about a young Fred Thursday, played by Roger Allam in Endeavour, or a quirky crime drama featuring the characters Dorothea Frazil and Max DeBryn.

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About the author 

Andy is the Trade and Tourism reporter for the Oxford Mail and you can sign up to his newsletters for free here. 

He joined the team more than 20 years ago and he covers community news across Oxfordshire.

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